No Place for Us
by Raptorxd
Summary: After the Wars, Ike sets out for adventure, and for something different. A few people decided to tag along. Among them is Lethe, refusing to let Ike leave her behind...
1. The Departure

During my return to , I realized that although I was invited to join the Starcrossed Lovers Community, I had never wrote a Ike x Lethe fic. So, I'm going to attempt to remedy that now. This is set after the end of Radiant Dawn.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ike felt the weight of the three blades strapped to his back as he turned back to look at Toha. He would be leaving Tellius, and chances were, he would never return.

"All the supplies are loaded." Soren said, walking up the ramp to stand beside Ike.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Zihark asked, resting his hand on the Vague Katti.

"Yeah. There's nothing left for me here." Ike said, looking up at the sky. "There's no place for a mercenary in Tellius now."

"Agreed, Boss." Mia said, her Wo Dao hanging loosely at her side.

"Commander, we're ready to set out." Nephenee said, pulling her helmet lower on her head.

"It's Ike, Nephenee. I'm not a commander anymore." Ike said, turning to her.

"I understand Soren, and Mia's reasons. But Zihark, you and Nephenee… why are you coming?" He asked.

Nephenee smiled slightly.

"My farm was burnt down in the last war. It was my fathers. I couldn't even dream of rebuilding…" She looked away.

"No place left fer me either, I suppose."

Zihark shrugged.

"Soldiers are in the same boat as the mercs." Zihark said, shrugging.

"Sorry we're late brother!" Mist yelled, urging her horse onward. Rolf hung on with one arm, and waved with the other.

"It's my fault, Ike! I bought extra fletching." Rolf said, dismounting once the reached the boat.

"Mist, you don't have to come with me." Ike said, rubbing the back of his neck.

_It was just supposed to be me leaving… but all of them want to go with me? Why?_

"Where you go, I go." Mist said, smiling.

"And I go where Mist goes." Rolf said, shouldering his Double Bow. "After all, you might need my eyes." Rolf then held out his hand, which Ike shook.

"All set, Ike." Nasir called.

"Right. Zihark, Nephenee, weight anchor! Rolf, crow's nest! Mist, galley! Soren, run a check on supplies and provision! Mia, take Ragnell and Alondite to Nasir's quarters." Ike said, handing the blades over. Mia nodded, and they all scrambled to follow orders. Old habits die hard. Ike walked over to the side of the ship, and looked out at Toha. The ship began to slowly pull out of port. A dark shape caught Ike's eye as it ran through the streets of Toha.

"Who is…" Ike trailed off as he watched the shape get rapidly closer. The shape reached the dock moving at top speed, and leapt off the dock, aiming for the boat. Ike reached out his hand instinctively, but the shape fell downwards and struck the ship, barely above water level. The shape then dug it's claws into the side of the ship, and climbed up until it could take Ike's still outstretched hand. The orange cat lay gasping for air on the deck, as Ike looked down at it in shock.

"L-Lethe?" He asked incredulously.

"Ike…" She panted out, trying to stand. She had almost made it upright, only to fall to her side again, breathing heavily.

"Just take it slowly." Ike said, leaning down. He had been thinking about her all day, and now here she was? Ike hadn't been able to say goodbye to her, so he had simply said nothing, hoping she would just continue on living.

"I…I made it." Lethe muttered, glancing up at Ike with her catlike eyes. She then shifted back into

human form, and stared at him.

"What are you doing here?" He asked. "What about your platoon, your sister?" Lethe took a deep breath, and punched Ike as hard as she could. Ike fell back, and she stood over him.

"You think just because I'm a Laguz I don't have feelings? I'm still a girl, Ike!" She hissed. "You weren't even going to say goodbye?" Ike was surprised to see tears brimming her eyes.

"I thought we were friends! I thought we were…" Lethe looked away. Ike closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry. It's just that… I couldn't…say goodbye." Ike muttered, knowing her sensitive ears would hear him. Lethe's eyes softened somewhat, and she looked away.

"We need to turn around. You have a platoon to look after, and Lyre." Ike said, as Lethe helped him up.

"I'm staying with you." She said simply. Ike looked her in the eye. One of the things he loved about her was her stubbornness. He shook his head.

"You never were easy to reason with."

Ike shrugged.

_Maybe it's better this way. Away from all the prejudice…_

Ike glanced back at Lethe, who stood proud as ever, even if she couldn't think of what to say.

"I won't let you leave me again." Lethe said, her ears twitching. "You left me behind once, when you disappeared in between the wars." Ike winced.

"So you haven't forgotten about that yet…" Ike placed a hand behind his head, and smiled.

"Nothing for it then. When the first session?" He asked. Lethe, despite herself, smiled.

"Tomorrow morning. Dawn." Ike nodded.

"Sorry if we're interrupting." Came a voice from the stairway to the galley. Ike and Lethe turned, to see Ranaulf and Volke.

"Couldn't let you go out and die somewhere." Ranaulf said, grinning. Ike shook his hand gratefully. Volke nodded to them.

"No more corruption, no more work for an Assassin." He said simply.

"Well then, welcome aboard." Ike stated. He then turned to look at Crimea.

"Time to find a new place… for all of us."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Author's Notes: Well, that's chapter one. Hope you guys enjoy it.

-Raptor ,out.


	2. The Spar

Five reviews the first day? Wow. Really inspires me to write some more! Keep it up, guys!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ike rolled out of bed with exercised precision. Morning was about to break. He grabbed Ettard, and pulled on his pants. Ike stopped just long enough to grab two elixers. Zihark rolled up beside him the same way he had, and slid his own pants on, though he took the time to put on a shirt. As the two left the room, Ike gave Zihark a quizzical look.

"Mia." Zihark stated, quietly. "Duel at dawn." Ike nodded, and the two parted ways. Ike to the bow of the ship, and Zihark to the haft. Ike wasn't the least bit surprised to see Lethe already there. He stopped for a moment to look at her, without even realizing he was doing it. She was standing with a slight bend, as she looked out at the dark ocean. The sun slowly began to rise, painting the waves a crimson gold. Her hair and tail matched the rising sun, even as her eyes turned to meet his. He felt his heart stop beating for a moment, then start beating again, faster than before. Ike shook the feeling off, and walked towards her. Standing in the rising sunlight, Lethe couldn't help but stare as Ike walked out of the darkness. She too shook these odd feelings off, and tried to prepare herself for the spar to come. She watched as he readied Ettard. Something about the way he moved, stirred the animal inside her. She was ready to face him. It had been well over a month since the last session, and she craved to face someone of his caliber again.

"Ready?" She asked, trying to hide the quiver in her voice. He nodded.

"Born ready." He said, grinning. She smirked, then shifted into cat form. Ike dropped into a fighting stance, and hefted Ettard above his right shoulder, the way he used to fight when he was younger. She pounced, and he rolled, kicking out with his leg as he did so. Lethe was struck in the side, surprised by how fast he'd become. Ike pressed his advantage, striking at her lower back with the hilt of his sword. Lethe jumped sideways, and then struck out with her right paw, catching Ike in the face. Ike reacted instinctively, and jabbed out with his free hand. His instincts proved wrong this time, as Lethe shifted sideways again. The cat then jumped past Ike. Before he could turn around to stop her, she was on his back, clawing. Ike jumped backwards, and slammed Lethe into the railing of the ship. She dropped to the ground, stunned. Ike placed Ettard's tip at her neck, and Lethe glared at him. Her gaze softened, and she shifted back into human form. Ike sat down roughly, and threw Lethe one of the elixers. He could feel the blood dripping down his back. He smiled.

_I had forgotten how much fun this was._ He though absently as he drank his elixer.

"As did I." She said, reading his eyes. Ike shook his head. Those Laguz senses…

Ike stood up, and walked towards her. He held out his hand, and Lethe took it, allowing him to pull her up.

"Let me see your back." He said, his breath still labored.

"What?" She asked.

"You hit the railing pretty hard. Let me see how bad the bruise is gonna be." Ike stated. Lethe stared at him, then turned around and lifted the back of her shirt.

_I'm not blushing._ She told herself as she felt her face fill with heat. _I'm flushed from the spar. And my heart is racing for the same reason._

Ike winced just looking at the bruise. He had got caught up in the moment and forgotten. Cuts, injuries, anything like that an elixer could take care of. Bruises, however, had to heal normally. He took a step back, and she let her shirt fall back into place.

"Come on." He said, already walking towards the galley. "Let's see if Mist has anything that can help." She said nothing, merely followed him. She couldn't help noticing the outlines of the gouges she had left in his back, even if they were healing. She shook her head. He couldn't show a moment of weakness. But that was one of the things about it… that made him who he was.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Soren looked up when Ike and Lethe stepped into the Galley. Mist had just finished breakfast, and so had sat down for a moment.

"Mist, can you take a look at Lethe's back?" Ike asked. Mist stood up, and sighed.

"Good morning to you too, Ike." She said, rolling her eyes. Lethe walked over to her, and lifted the back of her shirt. Ike sat down beside Soren, and took a deep breath.

"Rough session?" Soren asked, eyes not leaving the page of his book.

"You could say so." Ike said, smirking. Soren reached into his robe, and pulled out one of Ike's shirts. Ike grinned, and pulled the shirt on.

"This bruise is horrible!" Mist exclaimed, grabbing her pack and pulling out some salve.

"What were you two doing out there?" Mist asked, glancing over at Ike.

"I could venture a guess." Ranulf said as he entered the galley. Ranulf walked over to Ike and patted him on the back.

"Great job Ike. Not even the toughest of warriors can tame Lethe." The cat said, grinning. Ike's eyes widened. Lethe coughed, then glared at Ranulf. Soren glanced up from his book. Mist didn't know what to say, so she simply stood there. She glanced over at Ike, who was now a deep red.

"We were sparring!" He exclaimed, not even daring to look at Lethe. If looks could kill, Ranulf would have died a hundred times over by now. Ranulf somehow grinned even wider.

"Must have been some intense sparring." He said. Ike and Lethe both looked away.

"Regardless of whatever happened out there," Soren began, standing up. "We should eat as soon as possible. No telling what we will encounter today." Ike nodded, and stood up.

"I'll go get Zihark and Mia."

"No need." Volke said, suddenly appearing in the galley. "Zihark should be on his way." They all glanced at Volke.

"Mia! What did ya do?" They heard Nephenee exclaim.

"Well…he dropped his guard! Besides, it's just a small cut!" Mia retorted.

"His arm is nearly hangin' off!" Nephenee countered. "Hold on, Zihark. I'll git ya to Mist." The Sentinel said, lifting Zihark into her arms. Mia followed, sheathing her sword and sighing. Nephenee ran into the galley, carrying a bleeding Zihark. Ike helped her lay him down on the table, and Mist pulled out her mend staff. Zihark smiled up at Nephenee.

"No need to worry, Neph. I'll be just fine. It's just a scratch." He said, wincing slightly.

"Every tendon in his arm has been severed. This won't be easy…" Mist said, calling upon the power of her staff. Mia walked in, and smiled sheepishly. Everyone turned to look at her, then turned away.

"Come on!" She exclaimed. "it's a duel after all!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Breakfast came late, much to everyone's dismay. Mist took Rolf his meal, while the others all set down together to eat. Zihark's arm was good as new, though Nephenee still insisted on sitting beside him. Her sharp eyes watch his movements constantly, searching for any lagging injury. Mia sat beside Soren, pouting. Volke stood up, and filled another plate. Ike looked up at him, and Volke motioned for Ike to follow him. Once they had left the galley, Volke spoke.

"You and I… we trust each other… right?" Volke asked, eying Ike warily.

"Of course." Ike said, nodding.

"Good." Volke said, shifting the contents of the plate around. "I didn't want to show you this is I couldn't trust you." Ike gave Volke a confused look, and Volke opened a small closet. Inside was a wolf. But not just any wolf. It was Ike's teacher for the ancient language, Volug.

"Volug! What are you doing here? When did you get on board?" Ike asked, shocked.

"He boarded with us." Volke stated. "But he was afraid you would send him back home." Volug stretched, then shifted into human form.

"I…wanted to help you…Ike." Volug said, his speech still rough, but understandable.

"But the wolves are moving to Gallia…" Ike trailed off as he realized. Volug would already be leaving his home of Hatari. If he went with Ike, he would at least be with friends. "Welcome aboard Volug." He said, holding out his hand. Volug shook it, then took the plate Volke had. He began to eat, while Volke looked over at Ike.

"We are a motley crew." He stated.

"That we are." Ike said, grinning.

"Hey Ike!" Rolf yelled from the crow's nest. Ike ran out on deck, and called back.

"Yeah?"

"Trouble!" Rolf exclaimed, staring out into the distance. Ike couldn't see anything, but Rolf's eyes were never wrong.

"Pirates!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Author's Notes: Here's chapter 2. Volug joins the cast. So now we have a pretty tough group. One Vanguard, one Sentinel, two Trueblades, one Marksman, one Assassin, one Archsage, one Dragon, two Cats, one Wolf and one Valkyrie. They should be able to handle a few pirates… right?

-Raptor, out.


	3. The Battle

"Pirates!" Rolf exclaimed.

"How Close?" Ike asked.

"About five miles! Closing fast!"

"Mist, go get Ragnell. Everyone else, on deck. Rolf, don't let them get a cannon off!" Ike yelled, placing Ettard in Volke's hands. Volke disappeared, then reappeared moments later, Baselard hanging loosely in his hand. Nephenee and Zihark were on deck next, the Wishblade and the Vague Katti ready. Soren walked onto the deck next, accompanied by Mia. Rexcalibur was already in his hand, and open. Mia drew her Wo Dao. Lethe pounced onto the deck next, and stood beside Ike. Ranulf, Volug and Nasir took their place on the deck. Mist came running out, Florete drawn and Ragnell in her free hand. She tossed the sword to Ike, who caught it deftly.

"Prepare for combat! Nephenee, you have the best arm. Throw a tow line when we get close enough. We'll fight on their deck, to reduce the damage to our own."

Ike said, swinging Ragnell in the air. Rolf let off another arrow, killing another man that was preparing to fire a cannon at their ship. Rolf fired at a different man, and his eyes widened. The shot should have hit square in the man's forehead. The man grinned as he crushed the arrow he had caught.

"Ike!" Rolf exclaimed, not looking away from the man.

"These aren't ordinary pirates!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The ship loomed ever closer, and Nephenee pulled back the tow line, which was attached to her Wishblade. She drew back with her arm, then released, embedding her Wishblade deep into the deck of the pirate ship. The pirates began throwing axes as well as trying to throw their own tow lines, but Rolf kept them pinned down. Volug leapt onto the other ship, and shifted forms. He howled, then bit down savagely on a pirate. The man stumbled backwards, and Volug went for his juggular, killing him instantly. Nephenee was the next one to jump over, followed by the two cats. Ike and Zihark crossed together, with Mia and Volke right on their heels. Soren continued casting spells from a distance. Nephenee pulled her wishblade out of the deck, and tied the tow line off to the railing while Mia covered her. Volke inserted Baselard into a man's neck, then dropped back. Zihark and Ike were like twin bolts of lightning, cutting through any pirate that raised a weapon. Lethe, Volug and Ranulf moved together as well, covering each other while one finished off an opponent. Ike heard a noise, and turned to see a group of pirates moving forward. There was something different to this group.

"Watch yourselves!" Ike exclaimed. Volke moved forward faster than the eye could see. He aimed for one of the new pirates necks, but the pirate blocked it with his blade. Volke's eyes widened. No one blocked his knife. The pirate kicked out at Volke, but the assassin dodged it deftly.

"You punks picked the wrong day to sail these waters." One of the pirates said, stepping forward.

"We all just gathered for a meeting." Said another. A taller pirate, bearing a strange insignia on his arm moved to the front.

"You. You're Ike." He said, looking Ike up and down. Ike nodded, and moved to speak when the tall pirate interrupted him.

"I am Conrad Bane." Bane said, stepping forward until he towered over Ike. "This group behind me are the kings of these seas. Men who have seen many battles, such as you." Bane leaned down until his eyes met Ike's.

"You would make a great addition."

Ike stared at Bane, not at all intimidated.

"No thanks." The one-time mercenary said.

"Too bad." Bane said. "You can't walk away after seeing all you have."

Ike shrugged. "Heard that before."

Bane growled, and shifted into a Red Dragon. Ike smirked, and hefted Ragnell. Two of the pirate kings shifted into Tigers, one into a Hawk, one into a Raven. The remaining three used a mixture of weaponry. Nephenee wasted no time, rushing at one of the Tigers.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Nephenee wasted no time, rushing at one of the Tigers. The Tiger darted right, and swung his claw. Nephenee blocked it with her shield, then slammed her helmet into the Tiger's head, stunning him. She then rammed the Wishblade down his throat, ending his assault. Zihark saw the Hawk flying at Nephenee's back, and rushed him. The trueblade jumped forwards, and slashed out, only to have the Raven strike him from the side. Nephenee turned, just in time for the Hawk to dive at her, screeching. Nephenee cried out in pain, and Volke was suddenly there. He was on the Hawk's back, driving his dagger into the Hawk repeatedly. The Hawk screeched in agony, and Volke's eyes flashed. He drove the dagger into the Hawk's neck, ending it's cries forever.

"Volke… Behind you!" Nephenee yelled, trying to stand. Volke turned, but for the first time in his life he was too slow. The lance cut through his stomach, appearing on the other side. Volke coughed slightly, and the Halberdier behind him grinned.

"Gotcha. Shoulda been more careful!" He exclaimed, moving to finish Volke off. An arrow suddenly appeared in the man's hand, and he yelled in pain, shifting backwards to find the new enemy, and dislodging the lance from Volke's middle. The assassin stumbled forward, and Nephenee caught him, rushing him back to the ship. One of the tigers pounced at her, but Volug leapt into it. The tiger and the wolf bit, scratched, rolled and tore at each other.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The halberdier spotted Rolf in the crow's nest of Nasir's boat, and yelled out to some of his comrades, three snipers. Rolf saw the snipers take aim, and did the only thing he could. He jumped. In mid-air he fired off three arrows, killing the snipers. Soren spotted Rolf falling, and conjured a blast of wind to soften his fall. Even with the wind, Rolf hit the deck of the ship. Hard. He lay still. Soren rushed over to him and pulled out a staff. Mist was busy tending to Volke, trying to save his life. Soren closed his eyes.

"This isn't my strong point… Heal!" He cried, hoping it would work.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Mia and Ranulf dodged a mighty strike from a berserker. Mia moved in for a slash, but a nimble swordsman stepped in and stopped her blade. Ranulf jumped forward and slashed at the berserker's face, but the mighty man moved his head to the right and punched upwards, catching Ranulf in the stomach. The cat general felt the wind rush from his lungs, and hit the ground. The berserker moved in for the kill, when he felt a shadow above him. He looked up, just in time to see Nasir release a breath of flame at him. The berserker tried to dodge, but Ranulf moved forward and slashed out at his legs. The sharp pain made him stop, and stopping proved fatal. Nasir landed beside Ranulf, and then stomped towards more pirates. Mia countered a thrust from the swordsman, and struck upwards, but he stopped her blade with his sheath. Mia slammed her elbow into him, then disposed of him with a quick strike.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ike slashed out with Ragnell, but Bane shifted to the right, dodging the blow. The dragon swept out with his tail, and Ike jumped. The vanguard then brought Ragnell down, but Bane jumped back. The dragon released a breath of flame, and Ike swung his sword, sending out a blue wave and splitting the flame. Ike moved for what would be a kill stroke, when the last tiger struck him in the back. Ike grunted in pain as the tiger pulled him to the ground. Ike dropped Ragnell in the struggle, and used his hands to hold open the tiger's jaws. He felt the tiger's back claws digging into him, and moved his feet under the tiger. With a loud roar he pushed the tiger off of himself, and breathed out a sigh of relief. The relief was short lived, however, as Ike felt Bane's heavy tail slam into his stomach, stunning him. Ike looked up, trying to gather enough air to move, let alone roll, even as Bane towered over him, gathering a breath of flame. Ike reached out with his hand and felt Ragnell's handle. If he could just grab it…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Zihark and the raven scrambled across the ground. The raven could only win if he kept the swordsman on the ground, and he intended to win. Zihark gripped the raven's wing, causing the raven to struggle to get loose. Zihark slammed his fist into the raven's face, knocking it back. Zihark released the raven and jumped back in one smooth movement. The trueblade then slashed out once with the Vague Katti, killing his foe.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lethe took everything in at one glance. She knew this was suicide, but she refused to let Ike die! She knew something like this would happen to him when he left. She leapt into the air, and slammed into the dragon's chest, causing the flames he had been gathering to sputter out of his mouth. Lethe then, without hesitation, leapt again. The dragon stumbled slightly, then roared in anger. He swung out with his mighty hand, and Lethe dodged it nimbly. She jumped onto the dragon's face, and clawed at his eyes. Bane swung at her, and shook his head trying to dislodge the cat. Ike gripped Ragnell, and took the opportunity. He slashed across Bane twice, then stabbed deep into Bane's chest. The dragon shook, then perished, still standing. Lethe jumped down, and looked up at Ike.

"Thanks." He said, smiling. Lethe shifted back into human form, and looked him in the eye.

"You should be more careful." She said. Ike stared at her for a moment, then reached out and grabbed her elbow.

"Lethe, listen-" he was cut off by the tiger jumping back up and pouncing at Lethe. She moved to dodge, but Ike stepped in front of her and brought Ragnell down in a glorious arc, slicing the tiger in two.

"Later." She said, shifting back into her cat form and darting off. Ike nodded, and turned back to the now commander less horde of pirates. One by one they began laying their weapons down. Ike sheathed Ragnell, and began walking back to his ship. As he was walking back, he stepped on something and looked down. Brown fur…

"Volug!" Ike exclaimed. He knelt down and lifted the barely breathing wolf, and stopped only long enough to look at Volug's foe. It looked like it used to be a tiger, but the remains of the creature were too few to recognize. Ike shook his head, and ran for the ship.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The group was back on their own ship, with the pirates sailing off, leaderless. Ike laid Volug down beside Volke and Rolf, and Mist glanced at him for a moment, before moving back to Volke. Soren was still knelt over Rolf, but upon seeing Volug he moved over to the wolf.

"Status Report." Ike breathed. He almost didn't want to know.

"Volke's barely here. He was pierced straight through." Mist said, not looking up.

"Most of Rolf's bones are broken, and he may suffer some memory problems, but he'll live." Soren began, glancing over at Mia. She brought him another bowl of water, and he began to clean Volug's fur.

"It looks like Volug has lost a good bit of blood." Nasir said, joining Soren in tending the wolf.

Nephenee wrung her hands as she looked at her three friends.

"What was that?" Mia asked, looking up at Ike. "Those guys were as tough as Ashera's followers!"

"We had the bad luck to cross the wrong guys." Ranulf said, sighing. "Not much that can be done now."

"Those guys were something else." Zihark said, nursing his right shoulder.

"Let's just hope all the pirates around here aren't like that." Ike stated, checking the others for damage. Lethe walked up beside him, but said nothing.

"Who attacked these guys, anyway?" Zihark asked.

"Rolf fought a group of snipers with no place to dodge, so he jumped." Soren said.

"Killed them in mid-air, eh? This kid is gonna be something someday." Ranulf said, smirking.

"Volug fought… something. I couldn't tell what it was when he got through with it." Ike said, looking down at the wolf. "He tore it to shreds."

Nephenee felt hot tears coursing down her face.

"Volke took a lance… saving me from a hawk. Rolf gave away his position to distract the halberdier and Volug attacked a tiger as I tried to get Volke back to the ship. It's all my fault…"

Zihark walked over to her and pulled her into his arms. Her slid her helmet off, and she cried into his chest. Ike looked away.

"Not everyday you see Nephenee cry." He muttered.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Author's Notes: Will they live, or will they fall? About the pirates… there have to been SOME tough pirates out there.

-Raptor, out.


	4. The Aftermath

Three days had passed since the fight with the pirates. Volke was now conscious, and refused to stay in his bed, instead the Assassin was off on his own, tending to his wounds. Nephenee was missing as well, presumably looking for Volke. Ike entered the galley to find Mist, passed out from exhaustion, laying on top of a still unconscious Rolf. Volug was awake in the next bed, licking his wounds. He stopped, and looked up at Ike, then shifted to human form.

"How is… Nephenee, and Volke." He asked, tripping over his words somewhat.

"How are." Soren corrected, entering from the other door.

"Nephenee is looking for him." Ike stated, picking his sister up and moving her to Volke's now empty bed.

"Someone is coming." Volug said, as if it was the most natural thing to say in the world. Ike nodded. He should have known that the pirates would follow as soon as someone else stepped up to lead them.

"I can only barely smell their scent, coming up behind us." Volug stated.

"How long?" Soren asked, gently placing his heal staff on Mist's head, and casting a silent heal.

"By ship, five hours." Volug said, glancing over at the Archsage. "But it is coming by air." Volug looked back at Ike.

"One hour." The wolf said. Ike glanced at Mist, then walked out onto the deck. Zihark was leaning on the railing of the ship, watching a small black dot get closer. Ranulf walked up to them.

"Saw Nephenee a moment ago." The cat stated. Both men turned to look at him.

"She found Volke, and he took off again. She's crying into Lethe's shoulder right now." He said, gazing out at the waves.

"She hasn't slept much, either." Zihark said, turning his gaze back to the waves as well.

"She blames herself." Ike added, sighing. "Blame can be thrown anywhere, but ultimately, it falls to me." The three men nodded together, and then Ike glanced at Ranulf.

"Lethe is comforting her?" The Vanguard asked. His cat friend nodded.

"Yeah. Surprised me too."

"Lethe knows what it's like to lose comrades." Zihark said, his gaze hardening. "She probably blamed herself at first as well." The three men fell silent. They could all think of someone that had died for them. They heard a rustling behind them, and saw Volug, leaning on Rolf and Soren. Rolf glanced at Ike, his look strangely intense.

"Commander, what happened?" The Marksman asked. Ike glanced at Soren. The Archsage shook his head.

"We got in a pretty tough battle. You and Volug got roughed up." Ike said. Rolf nodded, and helped Volug get to the railing beside Zihark. Soren pulled Ike aside.

"His memory is still there, but it has been…scrambled, for lack of a better term." Soren stated. "He remembers us, well, most of us." Soren sighed. "He thinks that he is the Ace Marksman of the Greil Mercenaries. He thinks that he is a professional soldier, and has the attitude of one. Also…" Soren trailed off, trying to find the words.

"Yes?" Ike asked, growing anxious. This new attitude could not only hurt Rolf's performance in battle, but also Mist.

"He doesn't remember Mist."

Ike sighed. That was exactly what he was afraid to hear. Mist and Rolf had recently told each other of their feelings, and Ike had been glad to see Mist with a dependable guy, let alone the amazing archer that Rolf was.

"Commander, why is Jill coming this way?" Rolf asked, his eagle-like eyes picking out the identity of the black dot without a problem. Ike turned to look at Rolf, then at the figure.

"I'm not sure. " Ike stated. He then turned to Soren. "Go sit with Mist. When she wakes up, let me know." Soren nodded, and walked back to the galley.

"Ranulf, go tell Nasir that Jill will be landing soon." Ranulf nodded ,and did as he was told. Ike sighed. He wanted to go talk things over with Lethe, to put it all on the table, but Nephenee needed her right now. That talk would have to wait. Just as it had waited for the last three days, he told himself. Lethe had been avoiding him, of that much he was sure. They hadn't even sparred. Ike sighed again, and purposed to wait until Jill reached them.

"Marksman," Ike began, having to remind himself to sound like a superior while talking to Rolf. "Status Report." Rolf turned to Ike, saluted and said in a bold voice,

"Completely fine, sir!" Ike nodded, and Rolf relaxed, leaning against the railing again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Nephenee had tried to fight back the sobs. She never had been one to cry in public. But ever since the loss of her family, this was her family. That was why she always fought so hard. To protect her family. Yet here she was, crying her eyes out. As soon as Lethe had pulled her into a hug, the tears had started. Lethe pulled her closer.

"What happened?" The cat asked, softly. This was a side of Lethe that most people never saw. But Nephenee wasn't most people. Nephenee and Lethe shared something in common, a fierce desire to protect those they love.

"I found Volke." Nephenee said, her words choked by the sobs. "There was a blood trail, it was the only way I caught him."

Nephenee shoved her face into Lethe's shoulder.

"He didn't see me at first. He was tryin' to tend to his wound, and…and…" Nephenee broke into another sob, and looked Lethe in the eye.

"There was so much blood! Volke was applyin' a vulnery, but no matter how much he tried, it just kept bleedin'! I moved closer, to try and help him, and he saw me. He looked me in the eye, and told me that it wasn't my fault, and that _he_ was sorry for makin' me worry. Then he…"

Nephenee looked away from Lethe, and sniffed slightly.

"He disappeared. I should go find him again and-"

Lethe grabbed Nephenee's shoulder.

"No." She stated. Nephenee turned to look at her, and the cat smiled.

"He left because he didn't want you to have to watch. Volke is a pretty tough guy. He'll be fine."

Nephenee nodded, then wiped at her eyes with her sleeve.

"Sorry, about the cryin'."

Lethe pulled Nephenee into a hug, and Nephenee hugged back.

"You remind me of Lyre." Lethe said, her eyes distant. Nephenee smiled, then pulled her helmet back on.

"Let's go."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Dragonlord landed swiftly, and just as swiftly hopped off her wyvern and walked over to Ike. She smiled at Ike, who smirked back. Then, without warning, threw a powerful right hook that pushed Ike back a foot or so. Ike shook his head to clear it.

"Guess I deserved that." He said, rubbing the back of his neck. Wait, hadn't Lethe done almost the same thing? What was it with women and hitting?

"Yes, you did." Jill said, reaching into her bag and pulling out a letter.

"I was asked to deliver this to you." She said, handing it to him. Ike looked down at it, and saw it was from Sothe. He pocketed it, and looked back up at Jill.

"So, leaving Tellius, eh?" She asked, putting her arms behind her head and looking up at the sky.

"Yeah." Ike said, glancing at the wyvern that was already asleep on the deck. "Needed to get away."

"Probably a good thing." Jill said, moving a bit closer to Ike. "Most of Daein still wants you dead." Ike chuckled, and Jill put an arm around his shoulders.

"So, since you still owe me, I'll be tagging along." She said, leaning over and placing a kiss on Ike's cheek. Ike's eyes widened, and he took a step back. He tried to ignore the rising heat in his face, while Jill now had her back to him.

"Owe you?" He asked, half-angry and half-embarrassed.

"For killing my father!" She stated, as if it was common knowledge. "I'm going to move my stuff into the cabins. Zihark, will you take my wyvern to the brig?" She asked, smiling at the Trueblade. Zihark, shook his head, then walked over and leaned down to the wyvern's head, and began to talk to it. The dragon stirred, then stood up and begrudgingly followed Zihark to the brig. Ike took a deep breath. Things were about to get much more complicated. Unbeknownst to him, Lethe stood just inside the doorway to the galley, a dark look gracing her feline features. She had finally decided to talk things out with Ike, to tell him how she felt and to see how things went. Watching Jill kiss Ike had changed her mind. She stalked off, back into the galley to check on Mist.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In the crows nest, Volke took in a hissed breath as he applied yet another elixir to the wound. It seemed all he was doing was stopping it from becoming infected. Volke had only one option left. He popped open the elixir, and poured it into the wound, instead of just on it. The assassin let out a piercing scream of pain, then placed the bandage he had brought against the wound, sealing it. He laid down against the side of the crows nest to rest. Not for the first time, Volke had stared death in the face. But for the first time that he could remember, he had taken a hit for someone else. He had saved Ike countless times, yes. Ike and he were… Associates? Acquaintances? Friends? Yes, friends. But for Nephenee… he hardly knew the girl. They had fought together, but he had never really stopped to talk to her. She had asked him why, while she helped him get back to the ship. Why had he saved her? To put his life on the line for someone else, he wasn't that kind of person. At least, that's what he told himself. When she found him, the pain and guilt in her eyes hurt him almost as much as the wound had. At that exact instance, more than anything else, he had wanted to stop her tears. But he wasn't the soft type. He didn't know how to hold someone unless he was choking them. He didn't know anything about tender embraces or comforting gestures. So he had smiled. Volke never smiled. _Ever_. Volke shook his head to clear it. Once his wound healed, he would decide what to do.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Author's Notes: Sorry about the delayed chapter. A friend introduced me to Soul Eater, which is a wonderful Manga series. You can expect some oneshots for those pairings soon. Speaking of pairings, I have no idea who is going to end up with who at this point. Heh. You guys can try and guess though. I think I've left plenty of hints for pairings.

-Raptor ,out.


	5. The Arguement

This chapter was incredibly hard to write, as I had originally planned this argument to be much later in the series than right now, but, ah well.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ike looked around at the different faces. They sat in the galley, and even though he couldn't see him, Ike knew Volke was watching. Rolf was in the crow's nest, everyone else was looking up at Ike. The vanguard avoided Jill's eyes, and found Lethe avoiding his. Trying to clear his head of unneeded distractions, he sighed heavily.

"As you all know, Jill is now with us. Her skills will be extremely helpful." Ike stated. Although he couldn't see it, Lethe was seething at the statement, her mind going back to the kiss.

"There has been a… change." Soren said, moving to stand beside Ike.

"Rolf has… lost his memory." There were a few collective gasps, Volug seemed indifferent, and Mist's whole world came crashing down around her.

"He…what?" She asked, trying to fight back the tears that were already threatening her eyes. Ike's eyes softened. Lethe walked over and placed a hand on Mist's shoulder. It seemed like the more the orange cat stayed with this crew, the more she was opening up to everyone but Ike.

"His memories of everyone are warped." Ike continued, strength pouring into him upon seeing Lethe trying to comfort his sister.

"He thinks I'm simply his Commander, that he is Zihark and Volug's cover, and calls everyone by their rank or choice of weapon instead of name. Mist… he think's you're just our healer." Ike said, looking his sister in the eye. Mist choked back a sob, and Lethe pulled her into a hug, before walking her out of the galley. She knew what Ike would say.

"We need to go along with him until he wakes up."

The group nodded. Ike sighed yet again.

"Dismissed. Nephenee, you stay." Ike said. They all nodded, and left. Nephenee looked up at Ike, her eyes imploring. Ike did something then that Nephenee never would have expected, he smiled.

"Volke told me to tell you, his wound has closed and he's fine. He said not to worry and he's sorry he made you cry. He also said you should smile more, and that if you ever need his help, he'll be there." Ike said, still smiling. In the shadows, Volke smirked. He hadn't told Ike to say any of those things. He had simply told Ike he was okay. And yet Ike had said all that Volke himself had wanted to say to her. So he smirked. Nephenee's looked down at the ground, and smiled. The emotions welled up within her, and she reacted without thinking. She pulled Ike into a large hug. Ike looked around, not used to being hugged, let alone by the only girl in the world he thought of as more of a man than most men. Ike gingerly hugged back, and in the shadows Volke chuckled. Ike heard it, and reminded himself to kill him later. The door swung open, and three sets of eyes turned to see who it was. Lethe stood in the doorway, a surprised look on her face. Nephenee stepped back, and opened her mouth to say something, but Lethe spoke first.

"Nephenee, leave." The cat stated. Nephenee left wordlessly, whispering an apology to Lethe and a rushed explanation. Lethe nodded, showing that she had no hard feelings for her friend, then turned back to Ike, who noted the killing intent dripping off of her.

"Volke, I can smell you." She said, glaring into the shadows. The assassin no longer resided in the room, leaving quicker than a breeze.

"Lethe-"

"No." She interrupted. Lethe's eyes were blazing, and Ike instinctively took a step back.

"First you ask me to help you spar, then, you show me that Beorc aren't all bad. We took care of each other, protected each other. And I only asked one thing of you." Lethe said, a low growl emanating from her voice.

"To come to Gallia! And what do you do?" She asked, baring her fangs.

"You disappear. I forgave you for that! Then we meet again during the next war. Again, we help each other. We faced a goddess together!"

Lethe glared, and Ike felt something inside him shatter.

"And you leave me behind again! Do you know how much that hurt me?"

Lethe felt hot tears threatening again, and this time, she didn't fight them.

"I follow you to this boat, not understanding why, and you and I picked up where we left off, sparring again. And then you kiss Jill! And now, you're hugging Nephenee. I can put up with quite a bit, Ike, but this!"

Ike sighed.

"Lethe, you don't understand. Nephenee was just so happy-"

"I'm not upset about that Ike!" Lethe yelled. The rest of the crew minus Rolf, Soren and Volke had gathered on the other side of the door. Zihark and Ranulf both cringed. Jill looked over at them, perplexed. Zihark held a finger to her lips, silencing the unasked question.

"I…I don't know what to say. If this is about Jill-"

"If you don't understand, then you may as well just say your goodbyes now. I'll have Jill take me back to Tellius." Lethe said, turning her back to him.

Ike felt his temper flare, and did his best to stay calm. Why was she so angry? Was it because he had forgotten his promise? Because he had left her behind?

"I didn't have a choice, Lethe!" Ike bellowed. Had the last couple of days been different, he might have been able to control his temper. However, recent events had made Ike testy already, and now his anger was raging.

"I couldn't just drop everything I was doing to go frolic with you in some forest!" Ike yelled.

Lethe's eyes flashed, and she growled.

"Frolic? I was asking you to visit! I wanted you to be close to me, to help me train my soldiers…To meet my sister…" Lethe trailed off, and Ike didn't know what to say.

"But then!" Lethe exclaimed, glaring at Ike again. "Do you know how many days I waited? You _promised_ me, Ike!" Lethe exclaimed.

"Do you know what that would have looked like?" Ike roared. "Hero of Crimea moves to Gallia with Commander of the Gallian Army! People would have thought we were…were…"

"What, Ike? Where what? A couple? In love? Happy?" Lethe dug her fingernails into the table. "Of all the people to care about Beorc and Laguz relationships, I didn't think it would be you." Lethe made to turn around, and Ike slammed his fist into the table, unconsciously forming a crack.

"It doesn't matter to me what race you are!" He bellowed. Lethe stopped, her back to him.

"I didn't want you to be targeted! I figured that if I gave you some space, you would be safe! And you would find a nice guy, like Ranulf, and marry him! Then your children would be…"

"Normal?" Lethe asked, finishing his sentence. Ike moved to say something, and Lethe turned back to him, unshed tears in her eyes.

"Did you think you were the only one who thought that? You know me, Ike. Why do you think I didn't go after you?" Lethe moved a bit closer, but only a bit.

"I thought you would go for that princess, and then you could have normal Beorc children. You wouldn't be hated because of me."

Ike opened his mouth, but Lethe cut him off. She was no longer in control of her feelings. She was so frustrated with Ike that she wanted to kill him, but at the same time she felt the urge to hold him close, and to kiss him. She stood indecisive, for one of the few times in her life. Her catlike eyes fell on his, and time seemed to stop. Ike didn't know what to do either, his temper was flaring, his adrenaline pumping, and he had a fierce desire to confess his feelings to the cat right then and there. That, or kill her. One of the two. He took a step closer. Her eyes met his. He moved in closer. He leaned down towards her, and she up towards him. They were so close now that they could feel each other's breath. She closed her eyes and moved to close the gap. The door caved in. Ike and Lethe jumped back as a group of bodies piled in. Mia looked up at Ike sheepishly, and Zihark crawled back until he was behind the pile. Ike glanced over at Lethe, only to find her gone, the door not littered with crewmates wide open. Ike grit his teeth.

"What the heck were you doing?" He roared, towering over his friends and comrades who hadn't dared to move.

"We were hungry?" Ranulf ventured. Ike clenched his fist, and slammed it down again on the table, before sitting down at it. Ranulf walked over and patted his friend on the shoulder.

"The two of you will work it all out, don't worry." The cat said, smiling. Ike's right eye roved upwards to glare at Ranulf, who stepped back. The glare continued on, to look at everyone around the room, before Ike sighed and stood up. Everyone froze. Ike walked over to the door and retired to his shared quarters. Ike laid out in his bunk, eyes on the ceiling.

_What happened? One minute we were at each other's throats… the next…_

Ike closed his eyes.

_We were so close to…kissing. I'm doing a great job at making her forget about me, aren't I?_

Ike blew out a breath in frustration.

_I can slay dragons, free nations, kill crazed kings and murderers, and even stop a goddess, but I can't tell one girl how I feel about her? I'm such a coward._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lethe growled and dug her claws into the railing of the ship.

_I almost kissed him, but then I let one distraction unnerve me? I am one of the most respected soldiers on Tellius, and I ran away from a boy?_

Lethe put her back to the railing and slid down until she was sitting.

_Unable to kiss a boy… what kind of coward have I become?_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Zihark sighed, even as Jill propped her elbow on his shoulder.

"We need to do something about them." The Dragonmaster said. Zihark didn't move, instead letting Jill lean on him, and nodded.

"If we don't, things could get disastrous." He said.

"You mean…" Mist began, eying Zihark warily.

"Yep." Ranulf said, grinning. "Hook them up."

"I can just see Lethe in a wedding dress!" Mia exclaimed.

"Do Laguz wear dresses to their weddin's?" Nephenee asked.

"Do Laguz even have weddings?" Rolf asked, Volke having taken over for him in the Crow's Nest. Mist looked at him, then shook her head to clear it.

"Of course." Volug said, nodding.

"And imagine Ike in a tux!" Jill exclaimed, smirking as she put more weight on her silver haired friend's shoulder. Zihark grunted, and turned to look at her.

"Ranulf, Zihark and Rolf would be the groomsman, naturally." Mia added.

"And Soren ken be the best man." Nephenee said.

"And then Mist, you'll have a sister!" Jill said, smiling.

"And when they have kids you'll be Aunt Mist!" Mia said. Mist smiled, but then they heard a door slam behind them. They all turned to see Soren. The look in his eye made even Ike's look seem like a mere cinder.

"You would doom their children to that fate?" He asked, his tome already open. Silence filled the room, until Mist stepped forward.

"As long as Ike and Lethe are happy, that should be all that matters! We're not on Tellius anymore! Who cares if their children are Branded?" She asked, here eyes brimming with tears. Soren gave Mist a glare that made her step back. Rolf instinctively moved in front of her, though he didn't know why.

"No matter where you are, a half-breed is still a half-breed." Soren then spun on his heels and walked off. The group looked at each other, and Rolf sighed.

"Well, as much as I think the Commander needs to find somebody, I'm not going to stir up trouble." He shouldered his bow, and made to walk for the door.

"However," He stated, his back to the group. "If somebody needs a good eye and a good shot, let me know. Cupid isn't the only one who can shoot arrows of love." With that, Rolf exited the galley.

Zihark smiled.

"Same old corny Rolf, even with the memory loss." He said. Mist nodded, smiling as well. The group began to disperse, each to their own duties. Jill looked over at Zihark, and smiled.

"So, Zihark, what is it going to cost to get you to help me wash my wyvern?" She asked. Zihark shook his head.

"Nothing, now let's go." Jill grinned, and opened the door for him, which Zihark scoffed at.

"That wyvern needs someone who will give him a good washing. You never could wash him right."

Jill made of face of mock anger at his comment, and the two walked off.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Meanwhile, on an island a short ways away, a man garbed completely in black struggled against the ropes that held him down. Beside him was a man around his age, garbed in white, doing the same. Chained to the wall was a girl slightly younger, also clothed in white.

"When I get out of here, I'll gouge out your eyes and use them as marbles!" The black clothed man exclaimed, his wings broken and tied tightly to his back. Beside him, the heron struggled as well.

"I told you this was a bad idea." Reyson said, trying to work his hand out of their bonds.

"Yeah, yeah." Naesala muttered, working on sliding his shoulder out of the ropes.

"Give Naesala a…break, brother. Did I say that right?" Leanne asked, dried blood caking her face. Naesala looked up at her, and smiled sadly.

"Yeah, that's just right Leanne."

_When I get my claws into the guys that hurt Leanne, they're going to wish that Tibarn had got to them first._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Next chapter, we address the letter Jill brought.

About Naesala, Reyson and Leanne: A friend asked if I would bring them in, so I revamped the storyline abit to bring them in. However, this week and next week in particular have been/are going to be quite busy, so I may not get a update up until the week after. I apologize in advance.

-Raptor, out.


	6. The Island

A Few Days Earlier…

_Six birds landed softly on the island. A calm and peaceful forest lay in front of them, while behind them sat a tall cliff. They then shifted back into their human forms. They had been flying for a while now, and with a storm coming in, had decided to land so they could rest. _

_Naesala immediately checked on Leanne, and Janaff and Uiki set about scanning the area. Tibarn stretched, and smiled at Reyson, who was sighing, dejectedly. _

"_I wish Rafiel would have joined us." He said, looking back at the ocean._

"_He's busy helping the people of Hatari move. Don't begrudge him his work." Tibarn said._

"_That…were a nice flight? Is that right, Sala?" Leanne asked, using her nickname for the Raven King. Naesala smiled._

"_Close, Leanne. Instead of were, try was." The raven stated. Leanne nodded, and put that to memory. Naesala reached down and picked a flower, before handing it to her. Leanne smiled._

"_Can you put it behind my… what is the word…?" Leanne asked haltingly. _

"_Ear?" Naesala ventured. Leanne nodded, and Naesala gent put the flower behind her ear. Reyson shook his head, then glanced over at Tibarn._

"_What she sees in him…" The Hawk King said, watching the two. _

"_He is a good friend, Tibarn. And he truly does care for her. I've grown…" Reyson paused, hardly believing what he was about to say. _

"_I've grown to trust him." Uiki suddenly froze._

"_Archers. At least two score." Uiki turned to say something else to Tibarn, but an arrow struck him in the wing. Naesala moved in front of Leanne, and Tibarn shifted into his Hawk Form and flew at the archers. Janaff grabbed Uiki and pulled him into the bushes. The Hawk King was wreaking havoc among the archers, slaying them with a mere swipe of his fierce talons. Tibarn didn't see the ballista release it's deadly arrow, and it struck him directly in his middle. The powerful hawk was flung backwards, back off the cliff and into the ocean. Naesala couldn't move to help him, or risk Leanne and Reyson's safety, and flying away wasn't an option either. So Naesala turned, and punched Reyson in the gut, then surrendered._

Ike was roused from his sleep by Rolf's yell.

"Island, Three hours straight west! They've spotted us and have fifteen archers already on the shore! Large ballista moving into place!"

Ike leapt up, got dressed and grabbed Ragnell. He ran out onto the deck and looked up at the Crow's Nest.

"Offensive or defensive stance, Marksman?" Ike asked.

"Defensive, Sir!" Rolf answered.

"He can see all of that from here? I can only barely make out that island." Ranulf said, rubbing his eyes.

"Rolf's eyes challenge even Janaff." Zihark stated, walking over to them.

"All hands, prepare for battle. Rolf, keep your bow ready, but don't fire unless they do. They may only be guarding their shores." Ike shouted. Rolf nodded, and unsoldered his Blessed Double Bow. The rest of the crew readied their weapons as well. Ike looked around for Lethe, then sighed. Ike walked into the galley, and Mist handed him a plate of food. He took it, then tapped the table three times with the back of his hand. Volke appeared beside him, and leaned down. Ike whispered into the Assassin's ear, and Volke nodded before vanishing. Ike finished his food, then walked back out on deck.

The men on shore hadn't fired, nor had they shown any sign of aggression, merely holding their bows and waiting. Zihark smiled peacefully, doing exactly as Soren had told him too.

"Hello! We could use some supplies! Do you think we could come ashore?" He asked, smiling widely. The Marksman leading the archers nodded, and Ike came out to lay down the "Bridge" which was no more than a glorified plank. The crew walked across it, and onto the shore. Zihark stepped forward.

"I am Ike, and this is my crew. We could use some more supplies. We're willing to pay. " Zihark lied. The Marksman nodded, and motioned for them to follow. Within ten minutes of walking, they had reached what appeared to be a large city. None of the archers had spoken, and Ike and his group had remained silent as well. Zihark was still pretending to be leader, and so he continued to walk in front of the others. The Marksman pointed to a large building with his bow, and Zihark nodded. The Marksman's leader would be in there. Zihark and the others began to walk that way, when a loud booming voice greeted them.

"Weeel naow. Seems we gut oursilves sim visiters, ya ken?" A tough looking Vanguard came walking down a large flight of stairs, a sword rivaling Ettard in size held deftly on his shoulder.

"Ye ken what tae do with tham, Kinwen." The man said, nodding to the Marksman. Zihark looked around, unsure of what was about to happen. Kinwen nodded.

"Aye, Sir Saren. Archers." Kinwen said, drawing an arrow. The mercenaries formed a circle, but they were horribly outnumbered.

"Throw them in the cells with the others." Kinwen said, his eyes cold.

Author's Note: Cliff, Hanger! Everybody loves them, right?

-Raptor, out.


	7. The Shadow

Ike smirked. Soren was, as usual, right. The people of this island were not peaceful. Now Ike, Rolf, Mist, Nephenee, Jill, Soren, Mia and Nasir were in a large cell, with various other prisoners staring at them. Lethe, Ranulf and Volug had escaped capture, and Volke was missing. Ike saw one of the men walking toward him, and Ike casually dropped himself into a fighting stance. The man held up his hands peaceably.

"No need for a fight. I just wanted to swing by and get to know you before we're forced to kill each other. " The man said. Ike nodded. He could tell just by looking that the area outside of their cell was an arena. They were now gladiators. Fighters for sport.

"Name's Zihark." Ike said, holding out his hand.

"No it's not." The other man said, smirking. "You're Ike. I'd recognize you anywhere. I'm Ogma." The man said, shaking Ike's hand.

"These are my friends, Caesar and Radd." Ogma said, motioning to the two.

"It's not safe to throw our names around, Ogma." Caesar said, eyes scanning Ike's group. Radd said nothing. The Ike Mercenaries present introduced themselves. Ike and Ogma froze. Two eyes were glaring daggers into them.

"This isn't a party." Said the voice belonging to those eyes. The red haired man was leaning against one of the walls. He pushed himself off the wall, and walked over to the group.

"Raven, this is Ike. Ike, Raven." Ogma said, smiling. Ike held out his hand, and Raven stared at him. Ike retracted the hand.

"We will be escaping in a few hours." Soren said, interrupting the tense moment. "If you wish to leave this place, it would be in your best interest to help us."

Ogma nodded.

"Of course. If I'm right, they'll be sending one of you out soon to fight one of us." The blond man said.

"Perfect." Jill said, smirking. "If Zihark does his job right, then it'll be…"

"Me." Ike said, nodding.

"And that means Saren will send Raven." Caesar said. Ike turned to look at Raven. The hard-eyed mercenary met Ike's gaze.

"We need to make it look good, Raven." Ike said, his stare unwavering. Raven nodded.

"I wonder." Raven said, his eyes distant. "Which of us is stronger?"

Ike caught the familiar glint in Raven's eye. The fight to come was going to be fun.

* * *

Zihark did his best to seem completely calm. Inside he was seething. He was in a _cage_. A cage of all things! Not a cell, not a pit, not even tied up, but in a cage! Zihark smiled peaceably to Saren, who was sitting in a rather large throne.

"Sae naow, laddie. Which win of yer lads is tough enough tae take mae bonny champeeon?" Saren asked, grinning widely, his accent thick. Once Zihark dissected the words, he smirked.

"Only one. Zihark, my strongest fighter and a Vanguard, like yourself." He stated. Saren stopped smiling.

"Nae won is loike mae, Ikee. Nae won." Saren then stood up, and motioned to Zihark, who he thought was Ike.

"Hows abaeut we maeke a bonny deal, ya ken?" Saren asked, looking down into his arena.

"What kind of deal?" Zihark asked sounding bored.

"When my fighter wins, yor bonny men becime mine." Saren said, glancing over at Zihark.

"And if my fighter wins?" Zihark asked, leaning against the bars of his cage. Saren turned back to look down at the arena.

"T'en yo'r free, Ikee."

* * *

Volke moved like a shadow. He had watched his teammates get captured, slipped Zihark a knife, killed ten guards, disposed of the bodies and was still undetected. Altogether, not a bad hour and a half. He was casually darting down the halls, avoiding glances from guards while sticking to the shadows. Volke was looking for Ike, Nephenee and the others, but this fort had apparently floors of cells. Volke found another cell full of corpses, and sighed. It would take hours at this rate.

"Janaff. I heard Volke sigh." A voice stated. Volke smirked. That was Uiki's voice. The Hawk remembered every sound he heard and could pick out who the person was by the slightest noise. Volke raced towards it, only to find three guards guarding the Hawk King's Eyes and Ears. Janaff and Uiki were bleeding heavily inside their cell.

"What'er you talking about, birdbrain?" One of the guards asked, turning to glare into the cage. Janaff's eye picked up Volke's movement, and decided to help the Assassin.

"Hey, down for brains! Your father was a pig and your mother was a cow!" He jeered, grinning. The other two guards spun around, indignant. They opened their mouths to say something, when the Peshkatz and the Baselard entered their necks. They both fell like stones. The other guard turned to see what had happened. Volke didn't give him a chance. The assassin stabbed Baselard into the man then stabbed twice with Peshkatz, ending his life. Volke wasted no time picking the lock and throwing the three guards into the cell. Janaff and Uiki supported each other and exited the cell. Janaff grabbed Volke's wrist in a camaraderie handshake, and Volke returned it. He then handed the two one of his elixers.

"They have Reyson, Leanne and the Raven King as well." Uiki stated. Volke nodded.

"We're going to find the Hawk King." Janaff said. Volke nodded again, and was gone down the hallway. The two hawks drained the elixer to a third of it's former capacity, saving the rest for Tibarn when they found him. They nodded to each other, then shifted form and winged away.

* * *

Naesala gripped Leanne's chains roughly in his talons. For three days he had been working on the bindings. Freeing himself from rope was easy. The guards had done nothing, because there was no way the Raven could escape on his own anyway. Getting Leanne loose was proving much more difficult. Leanne had tried to stop him, to tell him to wait, but Naesala had doggedly worked on. Blood caked his talons as he tore at the chains. He screeched in pain as one of his talons broke against the hard metal. Around ten guards had gathered to laugh and jeer at the unfortunate raven. Reyson was glaring at the men while trying to help his friend free his sister. Then suddenly, chaos erupted. Three guards fell before they even knew they'd been struck. In a flurry of stabs, the remaining seven collapsed. Volke then set to work on the door, not skipping a beat. As soon as it was open, he began stuffing guards inside the cell. The surprised Herons and Raven King stopped to stare at the man.

"Volke." Reyson breathed. The assassin nodded to them, and finished his grisly business, before picking their cell door. He then moved on wordlessly to picking the locks holding Leanne in place. Then he was gone, an elixer sitting upright in the doorway. Naesala helped Leanne down, and Reyson picked up the elixer. The three shared it, and then Leanne smiled. Naesala couldn't help but grin, and shut the cell door.

"What are you doing? We should escape now!" Reyson exclaimed. Naesala shook his head.

"If Volke is here, then I would guess Ike is here. Volke doesn't just work for anybody. I should know, I tried to hire him."

The Raven King said, dusting off his black coat.

"We wait for Ike to make a move, then we escape."

* * *

Soren had just finished explaining the plan when a rather tough looking guard unlocked the cell. Around eight guards stood behind him, making sure no one made a rush for the door.

"We need a Zihark to step forward! If you don't comply, it's three more days without that slop Sir Saren's been feeding you!" Exclaimed the guard. Kinwin himself was overseeing the transfer of "Zihark" to the arena.

"Lord Raven, you have been requested as well." Kinwin stated. Ike and Raven nodded. The fun was about to begin.

* * *

Author's Note: Hopefully this chapter makes up for the last. Ogma, Ceasar and Radd are from FE1, 3 and 11. Raven is from FE7.

-Raptor, out.


End file.
